The present invention relates generally to a dice game. More particularly, this invention relates to a dice game for simulating the playing of golf.
A number of golf games have been devised which attempt to simulate the real game of golf. Generally, these simulated games involve a board or number of boards representing the holes of a golf course which include a tee, fairway, obstacles and a green. Advancement of the golf ball is accomplished by a first and second chance means for determining the direction and the distance of travel.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,460, granted to Barbiaux et al, includes a board wherein the advancement of the ball is determined by a direction indicating gauge and a roll of a die corresponding to the various directions on the gauge. The distance of the ball is determined by another roll of the dice for corresponding comparison to indicia on a chart. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,985, to Trimble, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,561, to Ekstrand.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,065, to White, includes a board having a grid layout which contains various obstacles between the tee and the green wherein the ball is moved along the board by choosing and rolling a directional die and rolling a distance die Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,548, to Chaban, includes an annular golf course with an annular grid playing area with a partial overlay which varies the types of hole layouts Again, distance and direction is determined by rolling dice.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,260, to Sain, includes a board having fairway bar lines and a grid layout on the greens wherein the ball is moved along the board by a combination of a spin of the hazard, putt and green spinner card, use of skill card and roll of a number of dice.
A further example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,338, to Lacy, includes a board having the layout of the golf course, a first set of shot charts correlating various positional changes on a respective par 3, par 4 and par 5 holes to a roll of a single die. A second set of charts allows a player to alter his shot by a second roll of the die.
The closer a simulated game of golf tries to approach the characteristics of the real game, such as incorporating hazards or including penalties, the more complicated and time consuming the process of playing the simulated holes and game becomes A simulated golf game is needed which is small, compact, easy to play, not excessively time consuming yet capable of simulating the real game of golf. Since all golf course holes are generally the same containing a tee off area, fairway and a green from which to putt the game should allow the player or players to visualize the placement of the ball from one shot to the next.
There is also a dice golf game sold commercially under the trademark CASINO GOLF, which consists of three golf dice, each of which has six golf terms on its six faces--namely, "HOLE IN ONE," "EAGLE," "BIRDIE," "PAR," "BOGEY" and "DOUBLE BOGEY." A stack of betting chips and a betting layout board similar to the type used in Roulette, but with the above-noted golf terms in place of the Roulette numbers. The game is played by placing bets on the betting layout board; and when one player rolls all three dice at once and the three golfing terms on the top surface of the dice are the winners. As can be appreciated, aside from using dice with golf terms thereon, the game itself does not simulate the playing of golf.
There is also another dice golf game sold commercially under the trademark U.S.A. OPEN GOLF DICE which consists of five dice having the same six golf terms displayed on their respective six faces, as does the CASINO GOLF game discussed above, and with which several different games may be played. In each game, all five dice are rolled, and points are awarded depending on which golf terms are rolled. In a couple of the games, the dice are used to simulate a poker hand. In one game, the players try to roll certain dice face combinations in a predetermined number of rolls. However, here again, the game, while using the golf terminology, does not truly simulate the playing of golf.